Thursday 28 February 2013
Book Reviews
We have posted lots of book reviews on the Kitchen Witch blog here in the past, as we continue to review books on a regular basis, and our Tansy specifically reviews books for John Hunt Publishing we have a new blog purely for pagan books...over at
www.rachelspaganbookblog.blogspot.co.uk
Hop on over and 'like', join or subscribe to the book blog to be kept up to date with what books we are reading.
Another new blog written by Tansy, if you like to cook and want ideas for recipes is
www.thecookbookcauldron.blogspot.co.uk
Kitchen Witch Team
x
Tuesday 26 February 2013
Celtic Tree Month of Ash
Celtic Tree Month of Ash
The
common ash is a major tree of the lowland forests in much of Europe. It is the
third most common tree across Britain and is often the dominant tree in the
woods. It has deep, penetrating roots that sour the soil, making it tricky for
other plants to grow beneath it. The Ash
is an important timber tree because it is so tough, strong and flexible.
In the past it was used by the Anglo-Saxons for their spears and
shield-handles. More recently other uses include tool handles, furniture,
sports equipment, walking sticks, tent pegs, oars, gates, wheel rims, and even
aircraft wings on the De Havilland Mosquito which flew in World War II.
There
are few trees that feature so prominently in the mythologies and folklore of
many cultures than that of the Ash Tree. Probably the most well known Ash
tree is the Yggdrasil or World Tree of Norse mythology, this inspiring tree has
been revered and honoured for centuries as the connecting path between heaven
and earth. The tree was seen to span the
universe: its roots in hell, its branches offering support to the heavens and
with Earth at its trunk. Yggdrasil was
the Cosmic Ash upon which Odin hung for nine days until He discovered the
runes. It was also the horse of Odin, who like the mare of Muhammad, bore him
to the skies for a glimpse of heaven.
In Celtic cosmology in particular it connects the
three circles of existence - past, present and future. In Greek tradition it was said that Zeus
created humans from Ash trees. On-Niona was the Gaulish Goddess of the Ash
groves. The Irish word for Ash, Nion, was also the word for heaven, Nionon. The
Icelandic word Aske meant “blaze of great fire”, Ash being one of the best fire
woods (especially when burned green!) as well as leading to the fires of
enlightenment. Considered a Solar tree, its wood is used for the Yule Log.
Druids carved charms from its wood. Ashen divining rods were cut on Summer
Solstice. A Druidic Ash wand decorated with spirals was found on Anglesey.
Flower: Wood Anemone
Diety: Lir, Gwydion, Odin
Ash bark can make an infusion that is a mild
laxative and diuretic. The rood bark is the most potent with astringent
properties, and was used to treat liver diseases and arthritic
rheumatism. Other uses include reduce fever, treat kidney and urinary
infections, expel intestinal parasites, and treating malaria.
Correspondences
Ogham
Name : Nuin
Letter
: N
Month:19th
February – 17th March
Colour
: Green
Animals
: Snake, snipe
Planet:
Neptune
Gemstone: Coral
Sources
British-trees.com
A Druids Herbal – Of Sacred Tree Medicine by Ellen Evert
Hopman
Photos by Sunchylde Dryadmoon
Friday 15 February 2013
The Art of Magic - by Catherine Maguire
We are extremely pleased to have a guest blogger today:
The Art of Magic by Catherine Maguire
I
learned about Magic from my Grandmother.
Not the magic of old books and ancient spells, but exquisite everyday
magic. The kind that is so subtle you
would almost miss it.
My
grandmother was an incredible woman; soft kind eyes with a will of steel. Long silver hair always neatly rolled in a
bun, and an ample bosom to which I always desired to be held. She was the epitome of the Goddess, before I
knew what a Goddess was, and she had magic.
Thirteen
children and a husband long dead before my time. Everyday in a kitchen that smelled of scones,
pine wood and carbolic soap, she cast her spells. There was no cauldron but instead an old Aga
cooker on which she daily seemed to create something from thin air. Her magical prowess extended out beyond her
hearth stone into the garden as well.
Tiny cuttings of plants were taken and tenderly cared for and new shrubs
and herbs were lovingly grown.
My
grandmother without knowing it was an expert in the subtle art of alchemy. It was as natural to her as breathing. An empty larder, a fridge that appeared bare
and yet a sumptuous meal always manifested, we were always well fed.
I
learned from her about love and the power of intention and how anything is
possible when these two energies are combined.
She
knew potions and remedies but her real healing gift was her kindness which was
always accompanied by hot sweet tea and a warm scone.
I
have my grandmother’s magic, it’s in my bones, my altar as was hers is my
kitchen table, this is where I weave my spells.
Love is the secret alchemical ingredient that she gifted to me. In my home, thanks to my grandmother the Art
of Magic is alive and truly well.
Catherine
Maguire is a Shamanic Practitioner, Soul Reader and Author. Her book Tending to your Inner Garden ,
A Woman’s Journey Towards Wholeness is available from Amazon. You can find out more about her and her work
at www.catherinemaguire.com
Keep an eye out on the www.rachelspaganbookblog.blogspot.co.uk for a review of Catherine's book in the very near future!
Sunday 10 February 2013
Grimalkyn: The Witch's Cat
Grimalkyn: The Witch's Cat
Power Animals in Traditional Magic
By Martha Gray
There is no middle ground with cats – we either love them
or loathe them – but the cat adopted as a power animal represents independence,
cunning, dexterity, agility, sensuality, inscrutability and ferocity. And
whether the great wild hunter of forests, deserts or grasslands, or an ordinary
domestic tabby, they are beautiful creatures. Some would dismiss them as merely
killing machines, but we only have to look at the history of their evolution
alongside mankind to realise there is nothing on this planet quite like them.
My review
This is a great book for witches wanting to explore using
cat power in their workings and it will also appeal to those with an interest in
history, folklore and symbolism. We are
taken on a journey through the cat's long history from Egypt and Persia through
the witchcraft trails to present day. It
is easy to see why the cat has always had strong links with witchcraft and
magic.
Martha Gray goes into great detail with not only the
domestic feline but also the big cats like lions, tigers, and lynx. Providing the reader with their history,
mythology and magical associations.
There are also plenty of practical exercises within the book to help
connect with these magical feline energies.
Sunchylde
xx
Friday 8 February 2013
Snowdrops, Ancient Yew Trees and Magical Meeting places
My husband and I are both members of the National Trust and we
were flicking through their “What’s On” magazine today looking for an
interesting place to visit. We
discovered that there was a snowdrop spectacular happening this weekend in the
meadows surrounding Runnymede in Berkshire.
So we set off without knowing too much about the place other than it was
where the Magna Carta was signed in 1215
When we got there we took the circular walk around
Ankerwycke Meadows looking for the snowdrops and an ancient yew tree. The meadows are beautiful; there are lot of
old trees covered in mistletoe and plenty of birds and other wildlife to watch
for.
We eventually reached the snowdrops after walking the long
way around and the ruins of an old priory.
Just around the corner from the old priory in the middle of a carpet of
snowdrops stands a magnificent yew tree.
It’s obviously very old as it is very gnarly and hollow in the
middle.
As we walked around the tree we discovered that it has quite
a few visitors as there were offerings of flowers, wreaths, ribbons and pictures
left on, in and around the tree.
We stopped for a cup of tea from the flask we had brought
with us and I found a sense of peace and love coming from the tree. This is not the usual feel I get from a yew
tree. I gave the tree a libation of tea
which I think it was grateful for as I was greeted with a wonderful woody smell
as I sat back down. We spent a few
moments just taken in the peace and quiet.
Wondering just how old the Yew tree is I’ve done a little
research and find that this is a very fascinating tree indeed. It is thought to be around 1,500 to 2,000
years old and has witnessed much in its long life. It is thought to have been the actual spot
where King John signed the Magna Carta and it is also believed to have been
under this tree where Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn used to meet in a secret tryst.
It is by no accident that Runnymede has become known as
special meeting place as it was used as such long before the signing of the
Magna Carta. In Saxon times it was known
as Rune-Mede, (meadow of the Runes) a place of council where runes would have
been consulted and runes, at the time, had deep association with yew trees.
So pleased we stumbled across the magnificent tree today.
Sunchylde Dryadmoon
Sources
Woodland Matters
The Woodland Trust
Pictures by Sunchylde Dryadmoon
Thursday 7 February 2013
Amethyst - February's Power Stone
AMETHYST – February’s Power Stone
Amethyst’s colour is unique and some would say seductive, but in actuality this gemstone is said to protect it’s wearer against seduction. For many thousands of years this stone has been coveted by royalty secular and ecclesiastical. Moses is said to have described the Amethyst as a symbol of the Spirit of God in the official robes of the High Priest of the Jews. It is a fact that the Russian Empress “Catherine the Great” once sent thousands of miners into the Urals to look for and retrieve Amethyst for her. Because of it’s ability to put the wearer in a chaste frame of mind and symbolise trust and piety, it held a very prominent position in the ornaments of the Catholic clergy over centuries. It is well known as the stone of Bishops and Cardinals. Many different cultures have exuded it’s miraculous powers to do everything from protect crops against temptests and locusts, bringing good fortune in war and the hunt and driving out evil spirits. It’s even been told that if you wear an amethyst around your neck on a cord made from dog’s hair, it will offer you protection from snakebite. According to the Ancient Greeks, Diana turned a nymph whom Bacchus loved into an Amethyst; hence the term Bacchus stone.
I don’t know so much about all of the above, but I do know that Amethyst is my “go to” stone. When in doubt of what stone to use, I know I can almost always insert Amethyst and it’ll do the job I intend it to do. This is a stone that increases nobility, spiritual awareness, psychic abilities, inner peace and healing, promotes positive transformation, meditation, balance, relieves stress and is good for communication.
The word Amethyst comes from the Greek “Amethystos” which translates to mean “not intoxicated”. It is believed this is a reference to the fact that amethyst offers protection against drunkenness.
The Technical Stuff
Amethyst is a variety of Quartz. However, this beautiful quartz has posed one or two riddles for Scientists that are still unanswered to this day. The amethyst has a hardness of (7), its moderate refraction and its weight in common with the other quartzes, but the crystal structure is different, and is most unconventional.
Some amethysts appear pale to colourless in daylight. Although the reason for this has not been discovered yet, it is possible to re-colour them by means of radium radiation. Knowing that these stones can loose their colour in sunlight indicates that Amethyst jewellery shouldn’t be worn while Sunbathing, or under prolonged black light. It would also not leave this stone in the Sun to clear and/or charge it.
Amethyst can be found worldwide in such places as:
Brazil and Uruguay – deposits with the greatest economic significance
Amethyst Harbor Canada – ample quantities, though rarely gemstone quality
Germany – Zillertal Alps
Russia – mainly mined during winter in the Urals – know for their brilliance
Sri Lanka
Britain
Mexico
Maine USA – a recent find contained over 1000 kiogrammes of cuttable amethyst
Madagascar – generally red or violet hues found
Uruguay – the most beautiful and deepest colour, but mostly blemished.
Mystical Properties
Amethyst is a very calming, soothing stone or more over a Natural Tranquilizer which aids to relieve stress and strain, sooth irritability, balance mood swings, dispel anger, rage, fear and anxiety. It helps to alleviate sadness and grief and dispels negative energy. As already mentioned, it encourages sobriety, so is an excellent choice to help battle dependency on alcohol or drugs or other addictions. It calms and stimulates the mind, so has the ability to help us become more focused, enhancing memory and getting us motivated. Its serenity enhances higher states of consciousness and meditation. It relieves insomnia and aids in remembering and understanding dreams. It also encourages selflessness and spiritual wisdom. Have a difficult decision to make? Amethyst facilitates the decision making process by bringing in common sense and spiritual insight and moving the decision making process forward.
Healing Properties
Amethyst boosts hormone production, and tunes up the endocrine system and metabolism. It strengthens the immune system, cleanses the blood, relieves physical, emotional and psychological pain or stress and trauma. It’s ability to relieve tension assists in easing headaches. Amethyst is a good choice to help reduce swelling and bruising and to treat injuries. It is useful in treating hearing disorders. It heals diseases of the lungs and respiratory tract, skin conditions, cellular disorders and diseases of the digestive tract. At a very subtle level this stone has the power to balance and connect the physical, mental and emotional bodies and link them to the spiritual.
So by now you understand why it’s my “go to” stone. It is a wonderful healer.
Magical Properties
Energy: Protective
Element: Air
Powers: Protection, Healing, transforming, Spiritual Awareness
Amethyst is a very powerful and protective stone. It is said to guard against psychic attack, transmuting that energy into love and protecting it’s wearer from all types of harm. It guards against geopathic or electromagnetic stress and ill wishes from others. It activates spiritual awareness, opens intuition and has the ability to enhance psychic abilities, making this an excellent stone for meditation or scrying. Sleeping with Amethyst facilitates out-of-body experiences and brings forth intuitive dreams.
Zodiac Correspondences
Associations: Jupiter
Amethyst is the traditional birthstone of the month of February. It is the stone of Virgo, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces
Chakra Correspondence
Amethyst is typically associated to the Crown Chakra, but is also closely associated to the Third Eye Chakra. It has the ability to open the Crown Chakra to allow a deeper spiritual awareness and enhanced intuition. Stimulates Third Eye.
xx
Tintagel Moon
The information here is presented to you to use as you see fit, but is never to take the place of professional medial advice. Crystals, Gemstones and Metal can accent, help, negate, protect, encourage, strengthen and balance thereby promoting healing. Their effects can be extraordinary, but use in addition to medical advice, and not as a substitute for traditional care. If you are ill, I urge you to seek professional medical attention from a qualified physician. Crystal Therapy is a wonderful adjunct to traditional Western medicine, but always seek out a certified Crystal Therapist for treatments.
Wednesday 6 February 2013
The Chakras Made Easy
The Chakras
Made Easy
By Hilary H
Carter
Fabulous
little book – the title says it all. The
book deals with each chakra individually covering all the information you need
to know about where it is and what it does, then it shows you how to find out
if it is not working properly and how to balance it, what to do to rectify any
problems and gives you exercises and affirmations for each one. Also included are a set of case histories
that are really helpful. It finishes up
with a Q&A section to cover any commonly asked queries.
A very
useful and informative book.
Tansy/Rachel
Tuesday 5 February 2013
Let’s Talk About Rites of Passage, Deity and the Afterlife
Let’s Talk About
Rites of Passage, Deity and the Afterlife
by Siusaidh Ceanadach
Another absolutely wonderful book in Siusaidh Ceanadach’s
Let’s Talk About series.
Rites of
Passage, Deity and the Afterlife covers exactly what the title says but it does
so in a friendly and easy to understand fashion, covering the main pantheons of deity, all the
rites of passage such as handfasting and passing along with a wonderfully
written section on the afterlife.
Each
individual section has a beautiful story to be read by you or by your child to
help them understand.
These books are an absolute must for anyone with children
that want to learn about Paganism.
Published by Moon Books to be published in March.
For details on all the books in the series take a look at http://www.ceanadachbooks.com/
Tansy/Rachel
Monday 4 February 2013
Shaman Pathways - Aubry's Dog
Shaman Pathways - Aubry's Dog:
Power Animals In Traditional Witchcraft
The
term 'power animal' was introduced into contemporary language in 1980 by
anthropologist Michael Harner in his classic work The Way of the Shaman, and
refers to a broad-based animistic and shamanic concept that has entered the
English language from the fields of anthropology, ethnography and sociology.
The animal is conceived as a tutelary spirit that helps or protects
individuals, lineages, and nations. Dogs and man became companions a long time
ago, and the dog adopted as a power animal represents speed, agility, courage,
protection, justice, nobility and loyalty. Aubry's Dog: Power Animals in
Traditional Witchcraft guides your footsteps on this most ancient of paths ...
Mélusine Draco has been a magical and spiritual instructor, as well as author of numerous popular books on traditional witchcraft and ritual magic for over 20 years.
Her Traditional Witchcraft series, The Dictionary of Mystery & Magic and By Spellbook & Candle are also published by Moon Books
My review:
.
Tansy/Rachel
Mélusine Draco has been a magical and spiritual instructor, as well as author of numerous popular books on traditional witchcraft and ritual magic for over 20 years.
Her Traditional Witchcraft series, The Dictionary of Mystery & Magic and By Spellbook & Candle are also published by Moon Books
My review:
.
Another
wonderful Shaman Pathways book by Melusine Draco. Packed full of information about man’s best
friend it covers the history of the dog, all sorts of associated herbs, using
dog medicine in spell workings and creating amulets and talismans. Lots of charms and folklore is included too
along with very interesting healing information. I also loved the section on shape
shifting. Very interesting for anyone
interested in utilising the power of dog energy.
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